


The Problem We All Live With

by gardnerhill



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Watson and Holmes (Comics)
Genre: Community: watsons_woes, Current Events, Gen, Modern Era, Period-Typical Racism, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 11:26:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2691179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardnerhill/pseuds/gardnerhill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some crimes are too big and systemic even for Holmes and Watson to quell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Problem We All Live With

**Author's Note:**

> For the November 2014 Watson’s Woes Monthly Prompt theme, “struggling to find words.” The title is from a very famous and atypical [Norman Rockwell painting](http://arthistory.about.com/od/famous_paintings/ss/The-Problem-We-All-Live-With-By-Norman-Rockwell.htm).

The two men sat on the roof of the building and watched as peaceful protestors fled screaming from tear gas thrown by an advancing army.

“Jesus, Holmes,” Watson said. “When I was in Afghanistan we weren’t armored and equipped like that. Those don’t look like cops. Who the hell overrode Stroud to do this?”

No words from the man beside him.

“They want us to cooperate with law enforcement. Then they bust us for walking down the street minding our own business because we ‘fit the profile’ they’re fed.” Jon Watson made a face; as a large black man he was no stranger to being ordered to the ground and his car searched by expressionless white cops. “Meanwhile a dozen white dudes drive past with trunks full of meth, or head off to shoot up a Save-Mor.”

No response.

“I can already see the Vix News headlines – ‘Vicious Rioters Quelled By Heroic Police.’ And they’ll politely leave out the detail that the police set it off by firing the first shots.” Jon exhaled.

“Nothing to add, Holmes?” Jon smiled down at his partner and friend, whose eyes never left the sight of the chaos below. “Does make you wonder why we even bother doing what we do, when the cops are just as bad as the criminals.”

A head-shake, Holmes’ dreadlocks swinging a little under his white fedora. And, finally, words. Weary, iron-clad words.

“Justice, Watson. Not for the law, not for the cops. Justice.”

Jon glared at the noise and confusion below.  “Precious little of that tonight.”

And once again, no words from the other man.


End file.
